


The Villains of Olympus

by Magical_Devil_Alex



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Prison, Angst, Character Death, Dark Annabeth Chase, Dark Frank Zhang, Dark Hazel Levesque, Dark Leo Valdez, Dark Percy Jackson, Dark Piper McLean, Found Family, Group Therapy, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi, Slow Burn, Villains, depending on who you are, eventually, from everyone involved, or I guess it does, prison break - Freeform, spoiler alert: it doesn't go too well, talking about feelings, the Olympians are jerks, they're all villains of some kind, which with this seven is like pulling teeth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:27:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27881469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magical_Devil_Alex/pseuds/Magical_Devil_Alex
Summary: Villains of all kinds were imprisoned at Olympus Penitentiary For Demigods, ranging from small time offenders to terrorists of the world. While Olympus's main goal is to make sure that these individuals are kept safely away from the rest of society, it is also meant to be a place of rehabilitation, where these wayward souls could potentially find some semblance of stability in a world that often discarded them entirely.Will Solace, a doctor at Olympus, believes that anyone can find rehabilitation with the right treatment. This even includes the seven most dangerous villains the world has ever known, all of who happen to be under his care.Will plans on doing everything he can to help these villains find themselves, and he thinks he has just the solution: group therapy.AKA, I read something, saw some art, and this happened.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Leo Valdez, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, The Seven - Relationship, most of these are slow burn, they'll get there eventually - Relationship
Comments: 28
Kudos: 129





	1. File 106.1: Riptide

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Yes, it's been months and the first thing I write is a completely indulgent fic about a fandom I haven't written for since I was in elementary school. Fun! The thing is, Heroes of Olympus was quite literally my life for a good portion of my younger years, and much of that has come back to smack me in the face with the release of the last Trials of Apollo book. After some good ole' AO3 fic searching, it came to my attention that there are few (if any) good fics where the entirety of the seven collectively lose their shit and kill some fools. Then there was some art I saw (which I will do my best to link in the appropriate chapters and credit, because it was flat out AMAZHANG) and this little bunny came into my head and refused to leave. Thus, now you have the seven as terrifying villains, complete with murder and blood! Hurray! Hope y'all enjoy.
> 
> Art sources: https://tamaytka.tumblr.com/  
> Percy Art: https://64.media.tumblr.com/5db646eb3c64e496363826ba78468559/tumblr_o7k9sc1P6F1tipfd6o1_1280.jpg

_File: 106.1_

_Villain Alias: Riptide_

_Real Name: Perseus Jackson*_

_Date of Birth: August 18th_

_Age: 24_

_Place of Birth: New York_

_Status: Demigod (Greek) (Unclaimed)**_

_Race: Caucasian passing (potential Polynesian heritage)_

_Eye/Hair Color: Green/Black_

_Height: 6'0_

_Other Notable Features: Dozens of scars, mostly on his arms and back._

_Family: Sally Jackson (Mother) (Deceased?), Unknown (Father), Gabriel Ugliano (Stepfather) (Deceased), Tyson Jackson (Stepbrother)***_

_Childhood: Perseus was known as a trouble maker wherever he went, getting kicked out of at least five schools in seven years. There is evidence that Gabriel Ugliano, his stepfather, abused him and his mother for several years and that he had undiagnosed ADHD._

_Abilities: Hydrotelekenesis, able to breathe underwater, can heal himself with water, possibly communicate with ocean/river life (no confirmation). An extremely skilled swordsman._

_Crimes: Believed to be the murderer of Gabriel Ugliano, multiple accounts of manslaughter, destruction of cities, global terrorism. Possibly killed Sally Jackson, though there is no proof other than her mysterious disappearance years ago._

_Current Imprisonment: Olympus Penitentiary for Demigods_

_Assigned Personnel: Doctor William Solace_

_Threat Level: 10/10****_

*** Don't call him Perseus, only Percy. Failure to do so will result in many horrible scenarios including but not limited to: refusal to talk, near death experiences, and overall bodily harm. Just don't do it.**

**** Unsure where his godly heritage is from. Definitely an ocean deity of some kind. Possible contenders: Anapos, Alpheus, etc. The Greeks loved their sea gods. Note to self-- Poseidon possible father? Look through databases to see if there are any modern children of Poseidon running around. Would explain why he is so powerful. Also, do some research on the Big Three Pact of 1946.**

***** Tyson Jackson might actually be Percy's half brother, but is by law his guardian (due to the disappearance of Ms. Jackson) and refuses to have them tested. Either way, neither of them know who their blood father is. Another subject to avoid if possible. Sally and Tyson are safe. It is clear that he loves them deeply and would do anything for their safety. Interesting to consider, seeing that many believe Percy to be his mother's maker. Note to self-- Percy might be lying about not knowing who his father is. Just a feeling.**

****** Keep him in containment away from the other inmates, make sure that nothing that could be used as a weapon gets near him. Anything that resembles a pipeline should be removed (yes, even for the toilet). Use a dehumidifier to make sure that he can't pull water from the air, restrain him whenever he needs to be moved or personnel go into his area. Stay vigilant at all times, for he is smarter and more cunning than he makes himself out to be. Unclear whether or not this is intentional. Either way, only get close if you absolutely have to.**

Will Solace very clearly remembers the first time Riptide made national news.

He was still in med school at the time, surviving on little more than coffee and ramen noodles, and it had been three days before finals. Of course, he was doing everything in his power to cram for those oh-so-important finals-- most of which included studying at his favorite Cafe, a little place called Over the Rainbow run by a wonderful lady named Iris. Over the Rainbow had a small television in the corner, though very rarely was it ever actually _on._ Fleecy, the one other employee besides Iris herself, claimed it was because Iris wanted to promote an environment free from distraction and bad mojo, but personally, Will thought that Iris's seemingly nonexistent understanding of technology beyond the 1980's was the more likely reason. Either way, it didn't matter much to him, seeing as he had been, you know, _studying_ and all that jazz.

Honestly, Will has no idea what lead up to the television being turned on in the first place. Everything before that moment was a big ball of nothing in his memory, probably due to the caffeine and horrible diet. What he _does_ remember is Fleecy picking up the remote and turning it on, switching the channels around until she suddenly froze with an odd look on her face.

If Will had known anything about Riptide before hand, he would have commented that her reaction, soon to be his own, was quite appropriate. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on who you asked), he knew nothing about the soon to be notorious villain. What he _did_ know, however, was that he was curious why Fleecy had that look on her face. That's why he turned to the small television, temporarily ignoring the half dozen medical books and piles of notes around him on the small table he had claimed. 

That's when he saw it. An industrial warehouse by the waterfront, one of the hundreds that littered New York's coastline, completely consumed by a hurricane of water and dragged into the depths of the harbor. At first, Will thought that some kind of freak storm had appeared, though had be bothered to look outside he would have noticed that it was still perfectly sunny.

That's when the camera man, who was clearly in a helicopter of some kind, suddenly zoomed in onto a figure in the middle of the storm. Will knows that he will never forget that moment for as long as he lives, the memory etched so deeply into his mind that it still gave him nightmares years later. The casual movement of the figure's arms as the water bowed to his command, the windswept ink black hair that danced in the wind, that cruel smirk painted across his face and his eyes-- gods his eyes. They moved like pools of water, glowing with unimaginable power that could only belong to unbelievably powerful demigod. Will remembers the figure looking right at the camera with those eyes, remembers how his smirk grew as he raised a single hand holding a bronze sword. Even now he could clearly recall the wall of water that suddenly engulfed the screen, the destruction of the camera and the bone chilling scream that was abruptly cut off. 

Yes, Riptide had one hell of a first appearance to the national stage, and it was far from his last. He loved to publically kill his enemies, drowning them in their own blood, slaying them with his bronze sword, throwing them into the mouth of a great white shark. He terrorized New York for years before the combined might of several heroes was finally enough to take him down. He was then promptly sent to Olympus, where Will was now employed.

Now, Will never _asked_ for Riptide, now identified as Perseus Jackson, to be assigned to him. It was common procedure at Olympus to assign villains to certain doctors throughout their imprisonment and rehabilitation, a way to make sure that they had a constant familiar face to help them through. The thing is, Will was convinced that the Warden of Olympus would see Percy as a lost cause, put him into the deepest cell the penitentiary had and leave him to rot. If the Warden had been anyone but Chiron, that's probably what Percy would be doing right now. 

Will theorized that Chiron knew Percy somehow, before he became the villain that terrorized an entire state and killed without mercy. It would explain the deeply sad look on his face when Percy first arrived, and his insistence that he could be saved somehow.

That was probably why Will was assigned to him in the first place, now that he thought about it. He made it clear from the beginning that he didn't think anyone was beyond redemption, taking on villains that others had long given up on. For all Will knew, all of the other doctors had flat out refused Chiron. Either way, he had accepted the assignment hesitantly, wondering just what he was getting himself into.

Riptide was undeniably terrifying-- a force of nature in more ways than one and a mystery wrapped around one of the most powerful demigods of all time. Percy Jackson, however... 

Will Solace didn't know what to think about Percy Jackson. He was sharp, undeniably so, and had an knack for detecting bullshit with the accuracy of a bloodhound. He rarely ever talked about himself during their sessions when he actually decided to cooperate, which wasn't often, but he had no problems talking about those he loved. His brother Tyson, his mother, a friend named Groover. Will had the impression that Percy was protective and loyal to the highest extremes, so much so that his idea of casual conversation included discussing in intricate detail the punishments he would inflict on those who dared harm his family in any way.

When Will briefly touched on Gabriel Ugliano, his stepfather that had been murdered nearly a decade ago, a dark look had passed Percy's face. It was moments like those that Will was infinitely grateful for the thick, demigod-proof glass was between them, for he was sure that all the water in his body would have turned into ice (or steam) in reaction to Percy's sudden moods.

"He had what was coming to him," was all Percy would say about the subject, and then refused to speak for the rest of the session. 

Percy had a similar reaction whenever Will asked about the hundreds of scars covering his body. There were simply too many to ignore, ranging from understandable white lines that probably came from swords and daggers during Riptide's many misadventures (read: _mass murders)_ to a half a dozen cigarette burns in a perfect line across his left wrist. Will's gentle probing would prompt Percy to unconsciously rub at whatever scar he was questioning, a far away look in his stormy green eyes. Sometimes that look meant he was enjoying whatever memory came from the scar, a sadistic mind reminiscing in the pain he's caused. Other times...

Other times, that look meant _Percy_ was the one in pain.

There were so many horrible things about Percy Jackson-- his complete lack of remorse for murder and torture, the way he justifies every action with a disturbing amount of detachment, his possessive loyalty towards those he deems worthy, and a dozen possible mental disorders swimming around in his mind that no doctor could ever properly diagnose _._ There's no reason that he should feel any kind of sympathy for a monster like him, even if his job was to rehabilitate. Yet...

He couldn't ignore the obvious signs of abuse. The scars that were a little to perfect, a little too _deliberate_ to be nothing more than battle injuries. His wild attempts to control the pain he gives others, a retaliation for the pain he went through. The way he completely shuts down if asked to relive too many memories. His deeply rooted instinct to fight whenever someone he loves is threatened, like he couldn't bare to imagine a world without them. 

Riptide was easy to hate and call a villain. Percy Jackson was a complicated mess that Will knew he would never completely understand.

When Will expressed this sentiment to his fiance-- who just so happened to also be one of the heroes that brought Riptide down-- one night while they were watching some random show on the couch, he didn't seem to understand. Or, more accurately, Nico di Angelo believed that Percy Jackson wasn't all that complicated. 

"He's a manipulator," he told Will, mindlessly twisting his engagement ring. He always did that when Will brought up a topic that he was uncomfortable with emotionally. "He'll lead you along while you're useful, and then discard you when your purpose has been served." There was a specific note of bitterness in Nico's voice that worried Will, though he couldn't place why. He knew that Riptide and Ghost King, Nico's alias, used to be allies of some kind, but he had no idea what happened between them to break it off. Whatever it was, it followed Nico around like the shadows that constantly leaned towards him, another dark mark on Nico's already well beaten heart. 

"Chiron seems to think that he can be saved," Will said gently, grabbing his fiance's hand and rubbing his thumb along the pale, scar ridden knuckles. It looked so much like Percy's hand, though his was much tanner than Nico's could ever be. A perk of being a son of Hades, he guessed. 

Nico scoffed at Will's words, more frustration leaking into his voice. "He only thinks that because he trained Percy when he was younger, before the whole Riptide thing."

"Chiron _trained_ him?" Will said in amazement. "You know what, that actually makes a lot more sense. Explains why he's so insistent that Percy gets the best treatment he can." Chiron was probably one of the few immortals that actually cared about the mortals they interacted with, which was probably one of the main reasons he even took the job at the Penitentiary. As a trainer of heroes, there's a good chance he would know many of the demigods that ended up there, a part of him even blaming himself for their crimes.

"Did you ever meet him, you know... before," Will asked hesitantly. Sensitive topics were always hard with Nico, especially when Will wasn't entirely sure where the boundaries were drawn. They've both gotten a lot better in the years they've known each other about establishing those boundaries, but it was still a draining process. Camp Half-Blood, one of the two camps where Greek demigods go to learn how to control their powers and become a hero, was a mixed bag. Many of Nico's greatest memories came from Camp Half-Blood, and in many ways he considers it home. But some of the worst memories, the ones that still gave him nightmares, also came from his time there.

Nico sighed, his fingers twitching in Will's hand. "Not for very long. He was still training with Chiron when my sis- when I showed up, but he left pretty quickly after that. A quest or something. After he came back... he was different then how I remembered him being. More ruthless. Quieter. A tendency for violence that he didn't have before." He paused, as deliberating on how he should continue. Will didn't say a word, silently supportive. "There... there was another demigod, Clarisse La Rue, a daughter of Ares. From what I know, she and Percy never got along well. Something happened-- I'm still not entirely sure what-- but one day they started fighting. It escalated quickly. Percy... he nearly drowned her before anyone realized that it wasn't just some petty fight. If someone hadn't stepped in in time..." Nico shuddered. "I saw him right after they saved Clarisse. He had this look on his face that I'd never seen anyone with, like he was disappointed he wasn't able to finish the job. After that... well, he left Camp Half-Blood for good. The next time I heard anything about him was when Riptide first showed up."

There was more Nico wasn't telling him, but Will decided to leave it be for now. All he could think about was that quest Percy went on, how he came back different. Something major must have happened. If he could figure out what...

"I'm positive Percy was abused somehow, but he won't say anything about it. Probably doesn't even realize it was abuse in the first place," Will said absentmindedly. Nico's face twisted momentarily before smoothing back out again. 

"You're probably right, but it hardly matters at this point. Nothing can excuse what he's done," Nico said darkly, and that was the end of the conversation. Will still had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he let it go. Right now, they were fiances enjoying each others company.

Besides, the beginning of an idea was starting to form in Will's mind. It was crazy, potentially life threatening, but what else was new? His husband was a hero that was put in life or death situations all the time, and Will regularly interacted with dangerous villains that would gladly snap his neck given the chance. If used incorrectly, it could kill him.

If used correctly... it could potentially save Percy Jackson and all of the other villains at Olympus. 

* * *

Percy Jackson never thought he would miss running water as much as he does now. 

Realistically, he knew he would miss it in some ways, seeing as his powers were centered around water and all, but this was just ridiculous. He's been camping dozens of times with his mom and brother, mostly in remote locations where an available bathroom wasn't around for miles. Quests that the gods sent him on often forced him into wooded areas far away from any kind of civilization. In both instances, the lack of bathroom or shower never bothered him much. Now though, he would do anything for his cell to have something resembling a constant water source.

It's not like Percy can blame the penitentiary. In fact, during his first week imprisoned there, he actually _did_ have running water for the small toilet that occupied one of the corners of his cell. It was much weaker than the average plumbing, but it was still _something._ At the time Percy thought they were unbelievably stupid for giving him access to a pipeline, even if it was small. They should have known better than anyone that a little water was all he needed to wreak havoc on anyone who got close, and he did. He was able to drown the guards that entered his cell to feed him (which is a horrible way to go, your lungs filled with toilet water and all) and spent a few precious minutes outside of that gods forsaken box. Of course, it was only then that he realized that he actually didn't know how to _leave_ the penitentiary. It was only a matter of time before he was cornered and restrained again, but not before he was able to take out a few more guards.

That was months (or, what he _assumed_ was months) ago. Now his toilet operated on gravity and highly pressurized air (which, let him tell you, is _not_ fun). He wasn't given any water to wash his body with, so he had to make due with baby wipes and dry shampoo. They amped up the dehumidifier, which Percy thought was highly necessary. Sure, he was known for finding and using water in the most obscure of places, but he's only managed to put water out of thin air once or twice before, and even then it wasn't much. The only thing these bastards were accomplishing by bringing down the already nonexistent humidity was making Percy's skin dry and cracked, which was super annoying mostly because it meant some part of his body was always itchy.

When he brought this up to Dr. Solace (his own personal shrink-- gods his mom would be so ecstatic if she knew. She was always trying to get him to go to one... before) the good doctor tried to turn his plight into a therapy session. Sure, that was his job description to a T, but it was still annoying.

"Why do you find yourself so attached to water, Percy? I imagine it provides a comforting constant."

Percy just blinked, trying to comprehend what he was hearing. "Let me get this straight: I'm complaining about the jackasses who run this place and their decision to make my cell drier than the Sahara and your first instinct is to turn this _completely understandable complaint_ into a half baked moment to talk about my feelings? News flash doctor: _everyone in the fucking world is attached to water._ I'm not special because my daddy happened to have dominion over it or something. This is reaching, even compared to some of our other conversations."

Ok, maybe his mom wouldn't be thrilled to know that he wasn't taking this therapy thing seriously, but Percy felt like she would understand given the circumstance. Being stuck in this penitentiary (when he had _infinitely_ more important things to do) was really grating on his last nerves. His ADHD had gotten used to the constant erratic change in focus that quests and missions provided, and wasn't entirely sure what to do now that all he had for entertainment was this doctor that seemed to think talking about his emotions would magically make everything better. As far as Percy was concerned, nothing could get better while he was still stuck here. 

It wasn't like he _hated_ Dr. Solace or anything. In fact, when the dude wasn't being a complete shrink, he was nice to talk to. That wouldn't stop Percy from killing him if it meant finally getting out of this gods forsaken place, but it at least meant that he would consider keeping him alive if the situation allowed it.

Dr. Solace's bright smile dimmed a little bit at Percy's words, but to his credit, didn't seemed all that phased. "I apologize," he said, writing something small on the corner of his ever present clipboard. "How can we make your situation a little more... comfortable?"

"Stop with the pointless dehumidifying. Or at least give me some lotion so that my skin can stop doing an impression of cracked glass in the winter. Both would be preferable."

The doctor pursed his lips in thought. "I don't know about the dehumidifying, but I can probably work on some lotion."

Percy sighed, tilting his head to the sky as if to ask, _why me?_ Of course, he was the last person to ask the gods about anything, especially lately. He's never held them in any kind of regard other than _devine annoyance_ or _dead meat,_ his dad even more so. "Fine," Percy mumbled. "It's better than nothing."

Two days later, Percy had the lotion he asked for. It wasn't the best-- probably the cheapest shit at the closest convenience store-- but it was better than nothing. It made the lack of humidity somewhat bearable. Plus, Percy could ask for as much as he wanted and for once, no one at this stupid penitentiary could deny him because Dr. Solace put it under _special circumstances_ or something like that. Now his cell was filled with of cheap ass lotion bottles-- which was fun in more ways than one.

For example, it was watery enough that he could manipulate it quite easily. He didn't make his manipulation obvious (after all, he wasn't _that_ stupid) but it definitely helped to pass the time. He could imagine each and every mortal and god he wanted to choke with it, the methods he would use the lotion to get what he wanted. Who needed a sword and a dirty river filled with pollution when you had lotion?

Percy threw one of the bottles from where he was laying on the thin mattresses this prison called a bed (because apparently having a bed frame made him a _threat to himself and everyone around him)_ , making the bottle go higher and float longer than the rules of physics allowed. He would get out of this place eventually, that was obvious. Nothing could stop him forever, especially when it came to his mom.

A flash of pure anger raged in Percy's chest for a moment, the image of his mom disappearing in a flash of golden light along with the Minotaur racing through his mind. Without even realizing it, he threw the bottle of lotion hard enough to hit the ceiling. The impact was enough to crack the plastic, making drops of the lotion splatter all over the cell. Percy took a deep breath and clenched his fist, holding onto his anger for a moment longer before shoving it down.

He would find her. He didn't care what he had to do, who he had to kill, how many more gods and so called _heroes_ he had to defy. Whoever took Sally Jackson from him would pay deeply. He would burn down this damn penitentiary and everyone in it if it meant being able to keep searching for her.

Percy sat up, ignoring the broken lotion bottle now laying limply on the ground. Instead, he grabbed a new bottle, laying back down to continue his game of throwing it and controlling the lotion. _At least my time here has been good for one thing,_ Percy thought to himself fondly. _Now I have a few more ideas where to look._

Up and down. Up and down. Up and down.

The barest hint of a smile crossed Percy's lips.

 _I wonder what Uncle Hades would think of a little visit from his nephew._


	2. File 110.2: Talon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed this so far! For those of you who know a little bit about comics, you'll probably recognize the name Talon, and yes, I did take some inspiration from Batman and the Court of Owls for that name. Annabeth's villain name was originally going to be 'Owl' or 'Grey Owl' or something like that, but I decided both sounded too tame and needed a little spicing up, hence Talon. Still got the owl theme going, but it sounds much scarier, which fits Annabeth much better. Anyway, enjoy!
> 
> Art Source: https://tamaytka.tumblr.com/  
> Annabeth Picture: https://64.media.tumblr.com/ec048035e3cd8f03293ef3cd23654589/tumblr_o7k9sc1P6F1tipfd6o7_1280.jpg

_File: 110.2_

_Villain Alias: Talon_

_Real Name: Annabeth Chase_

_Date of Birth: July 12th_

_Age: 24_

_Place of Birth: Virginia_

_Status: Demigod (Greek) (Claimed)*_

_Race: Caucasian_

_Eye/Hair Color: Grey/Blond_

_Height: 5'10_

_Other Notable Features: Dozens of scars, mostly along her arms and legs._

_Family: Frederick Chase (Father), Athena (Mother), Lisa Chase (Stepmother)** Bobby Chase (Stepbrother) Matthew Chase (Stepbrother)_

_Childhood: Annabeth ran away from home when she was seven years old after a very rough childhood with her father and stepmother. Eventually she befriended two other demigods, Luke Castellan (Son of Hermes, deceased)*** and Thalia Grace (Daughter of Zeus, current Hunter of Artemis) and they found their away to Camp Half-Blood._

_Abilities_ _: Photographic memory, near infinite affinity for gaining knowledge. Is really good at crafts and weaving(?). Extreme battle prowess, skilled fighter._

_Crimes: Multiple accounts of manslaughter, international terrorism, theft of security sensitive information._

_Current Imprisonment: Olympus Penitentiary for Demigods_

_Assigned Personnel: Doctor William Solace_

_Threat Level: 10/10****_

*** Annabeth was claimed by her godly parent Athena when she was twelve. This is quite impressive considering that most demigods aren't claimed until they're 16 or older, after they've gone on a few quests and have done an action heroic enough to gain the attention of their godly parent. This put Annabeth in the position to become one of the youngest heroes to ever enter the public eye, as demigods are only allowed to do so after they have been claimed.**

**** Possibility that Mrs. Chase was abusive towards Annabeth, especially since she knew of her godly heritage. A few days before Annabeth ran away, Mrs. Chase was admitted to the hospital due to a near death experience involving several broken bones and extreme strangulation, and while there is no hard evidence, Mrs. Chase claims Annabeth was the one who orchestrated it in the first place. This more than likely led to Annabeth's final decision to run away, and is made even more prominent in the fact that it took over a week before Mr. and Mrs. Chase submitted a missing person's report to the police.**

***** Luke Castellan, formally known as the hero Scar and then the villain Backbiter, was killed by Annabeth. Luke had allied himself with the Titan Kronos and planned on destroying the Olympians so that the Titans could rule once again. Annabeth, twelve at the time, killed him in retaliation, potentially saving the entire world as a result. This is the act that caused Athena to claim Annabeth. Note to self-- why did Luke ally with the Titans? Why didn't Annabeth join him, especially since at that point they had known each other for years? Where does Thalia play into this? Extra note to self-- Annabeth doesn't like talking about them much. Be careful. She's scary when she's mad.**

****** Keep her away from the other inmates, make sure that personnel that have to go in her area have NOTHING that can be used as a weapon. Don't get close, even if you are behind the glass. You can give her soft pencils and paper to draw on, but these supplies must be cycled through every two days. If another personnel must go into her area, someone else must monitor them both until the personnel has left entirely, then that personnel must be searched thoroughly to make sure that she did not put anything on their person. She will manipulate you give at any chance, so be extremely cautious when talking to her. Never say anything personal about yourself.**

Of all the villains at Olympus, Talon scared Will Solace the most.

To many, that fear would seem unfounded. _'Talon?'_ they would say in disbelief, staring at Will like he had grown a second head. _'But she doesn't have any_ real _powers. You're surrounded by villains who can control your actions with just their voice, literally take the air from your lungs, and even manipulate reality itself, but you're most afraid of girl who just so happens to be_ smart _?'_

Will just smiles at those people, silently pitying them and praying that they would never have a personal encounter with Talon for as long as they lived. Calling Talon 'smart' was probably the biggest understatement since some poor bastard said Zeus wasn't a faithful husband, and if she ever heard someone say it to her face, Will had no doubts in his mind that she would ruin their life. Knowing what she's done in the past, it would probably involve a very horrible, very _public_ humiliation that would taint the reputation of whatever individual she chose. That was the thing with Talon: she c _ould_ kill you. In fact, she could think up of dozens of different ways to execute the perfect murder and make sure it never got traced back to her. But that was too easy. To Talon, death meant that you were no longer around to pay for your crimes.

No, death was too simple. She'd much rather drag out your suffering by turning the very fabric of society against you, break away any semblance of sanity you ever thought you had until you were nothing more but a shell of your former self. She'll fabricate dreadful lies, spread horrible rumors, make sure that you suffer blow after blow that you'll never recover from. It was only then, after you've suffered so much that you couldn't even find solace in taking your own life, that she comes for you. And when she does, she'll stab you right in the heart with her Imperial Bronze dagger. 

It wasn't even a question of _if_ she would do those things. The destruction of dozens of major companies, politicians, and even _countries_ could be traced back to Talon's handiwork. For years she was a boogie man, a faceless shadow that the entire world feared without realizing it, the idea that you could be next without ever knowing how or why. In fact, the only reason she got caught was because of her own unwavering pride catching up with her. She wanted to be recognized, consciously or not, for her accomplishments. It made her unintentionally sloppy, which eventually lead to her discovery and arrest.

Even now, Will could physically _watch_ the pride Annabeth felt for her actions during their sessions. It was in the the confident way she moved through her cell like a queen planning a war, the brilliantly complex architecture she sketched as Will asked her questions, ignoring him entirely. It was in her piercing grey eyes as she watched every tick of Will's face, analyzing every fault and noting every weakness. 

So yes, Talon, Annabeth Chase, whatever you wanted to call her, scared the shit out of him. He's met children of Athena before, but none of them came close to that of their sister, who seemed to be her own breed entirely. Unlike Percy, who she was technically neighbors with though they had no way to communicate with each other, she didn't say much. But when she did, it was scalding, clipped words that cut directly into your heart and retreated just as fast. _Just like her dagger._

Like Percy Jackson, Will never asked for Annabeth Chase to be put under his care. She was another case that no other doctor wanted to take, another mad demigod with no chance of redemption, another lost child that Chiron couldn't let go. Once again, after everyone else had rejected Annabeth Chase, Chiron turned to Will. He shouldn't have taken the responsibility, Will knows that-- but he couldn't help himself. He couldn't stand the idea that Annabeth couldn't be helped, that she was simply a lost cause. At that point they might as well just kill Annabeth, but laws were weird when it came to demigods. No one wanted to face the wrath of the gods any more than they already had to, so even the worst of the demigod villains would be spared from what would most definitely be the death penalty for anyone else. 

So no, Will couldn't just let Annabeth go like everyone else. Even after he accepted the assignment and realized just how terrifying she really was, even after her manipulations led to a near escape and two deaths, Will couldn't let her go. At first, he didn't know why. Maybe it was because of his experiences with Nico and how he was judged so harshly for his past. Maybe he wanted to make Chiron at least a little bit happy, something that seemed to happen less and less these days. Or, of course, maybe his own stubborn nature refused to believe that anyone could be lost. Whatever it was, it allowed Talon to come under his care, and he was going to do everything he could to help her.

Which is why Will stood in front Chiron's office, contemplating his next actions. There was an idea he wanted to run by Chiron, one that had been brewing in his mind for several months at that point. At first he had dismissed it as crazy and nearly undoable-- after all, the number of safety precautions alone that would have to be taken were enough to fill several textbooks-- but, like Annabeth and the other villains he took care of, Will couldn't let it go. Chiron of all people would be open to it, especially since two of his own former students were apart of the idea, but he couldn't shake the nagging voice telling him that what he was doing was wrong and would inevitably come back to bite him. 

Will bit his lip, forcing himself to move before he lost his courage and knocking on the door. Chiron called him in not a moment later, and Will forced all of his doubts down and opened the door.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," the doctor said with a smile, taking a small glance around Chiron's office. It was well organized yet well loved, filled with small personal trinkets throughout his years as a mentor and occasional hero. Chiron himself sat behind a desk, sitting in his wheelchair that hid his human half from the rest of the world. It still stunned Will after all this time that what he knew to be fake could look so _real,_ even with the explanation of the Mist that Chiron explained to him. It was no wonder it took so long for humanity to find out that the Olympians were still wandering around and influencing the world with a veil that could hide monsters and immortals so effectively. Even after the goddess who controlled the Mist was killed, it still went on with a life of its own, still hiding the very world that most everyone knew about by now. 

Chiron folded his hands together on his desk, leaning forward slightly. "Not at all, Dr. Solace. Take a seat. I assume there is something you wish to discuss with me?"

Will nodded, doing as Chiron recommended and sitting down in the plush chair that was directly in front of his desk. "Yes sir, I do. It's actually something I've been mulling over for a long time, and I wanted to hear your opinion of it." Will took a deep breath, allowing himself one last moment to get his thoughts together. He could feel Chiron's intense gaze burning into the skin of his face, but it was far from unkind. It was more parental than that, something that he's had thousands of years to perfect. It didn't make Will feel any less nervous, but it gave him the push he needed to start.

"I have an idea for a different type of therapy we could use on some of the residence, specifically the Seven. Or, uh, you know, the group that I have." The Seven was what the rest of the doctors at Olympus called Will's little group of lost causes, and though he didn't necessarily appreciate the sentiment behind the name, it was definitely easier than saying all of their names individually. "It would be somewhat difficult to carry out, but I do believe it could do a lot of good in the end."

Chiron bit his lip, leaning forward slightly. "And what might this be?"

"Group therapy. A way for them to talk and interact with one another and connect through their shared experiences. They've all been pretty much isolated from the entire outside world besides me, which is hardly good for their already cracked mental states. Many of them won't even talk to me about their moment to moment feelings, let alone the traumas they had as children. Our goal is to help them, right? Well, right now I don't feel like I'm doing much. _This_ though, I feel like we could get somewhere with. It would take a lot of precautions, and I've already got a list of ideas that we could do-- but in the end, I do think it will help them. If, you know, you're okay with it." 

Will watched Chiron's face closely as if to take in whatever emotions he must be feeling at the moment. He should have realized that it was a pointless task. Chiron's had literal millennia to school his guarded emotions, and there was no way he would let them go just for a few precious students. Or maybe Will was just that bad at reading other's faces. 

"How much do you know about Annabeth Chase?" Chiron suddenly asked, startling Will. It took a minute for him to remember that he still had her file with him, having just come from another practically useless one sided session. He can't even remember the last time she told him anything that wasn't meant as a barb towards his general being, let along anything about herself. Sure, he had files with detailed history of her actions throughout the years, but as far as what he _truly_ knew about Annabeth Chase, well, that remained at near zero.

Uh, not much," Will admitted, unsure where this was going. Was this Chiron's way of exposing his obviously flawed plan?

"Neither do I, to tell the truth," Chiron said, slowly stroking his beard. "I've known her since she was only seven years old, and even then she was an enigma. Perfectly calculated. More brutal and effective than any other hero I've ever taught before. The other children, even the older teenagers, avoided her and flinched when she spoke too suddenly. Truly Athena's child in every way, even before she was properly claimed." Chiron chuckled, his face turning horribly sad. "Everyone knew she was a daughter of Athena from the first moment she arrived at camp. It was hard not too, especially since she looked and acted so much like her mother. We couldn't do anything about it, not even move her to the proper cabin. She had to remain isolated from her siblings until she was claimed, which for most demigods, wouldn't happen until she was sixteen or older.

"But Annabeth refused to wait that long. Even as young as she was, she did everything she could to gain her mother's attention. Slaying monsters, risking her life countless times, but nothing ever came from it. I watched her turn from hopeful to spiteful for five long years and did nothing about. The only people who would approach her at that point was Luke Castellan and Thalia Grace, whom she had arrived at camp with."

"Wait, isn't Luke Castellan the villain she killed?" Will asked, feeling slightly embarrassed at his interruption. Chiron didn't seem to mind. 

"Indeed he is. To this day I still don't know why she decided to kill him. They were so close that I would have thought that she would join him or let him go before she would kill him, but she did, and in doing so, saved all of humanity from another horrible war the the Titans. She was claimed for her actions, but... something about her changed. She no longer asked to go on quests to help others. She would often refuse to give sacrifices to the gods, something she had never done before. She started disappearing and reappearing at camp at random, never telling anyone where she was going or what she did. One day she simply didn't come back."

Chiron looked deeply into Will's eyes. "I believe your idea could work. Annabeth and the others-- they often fell because the support of others around them caved in. If they could find that support in one another, it could change everything. Right their paths. But you understand the risks that this will entail? What will need to be sacrificed?"

Will swallowed around the barbs that had formed in his throat. He knew exactly what Chiron was asking.

"I understand," will managed to croak out. "I understand completely." 

* * *

Annabeth Chase wished that she could read an actual book.

Sure, the guards and higher ups allowed (gods, how she hated that word, _allowed)_ her to read via giving her hundreds of unstapled sheets of paper (because apparently having the frame of mind to actually _sort_ said pieces of paper into the correct order or using a staple to _keep_ them in order was too much), but it wasn't the same as holding a real book in her hands. The feeling of each page at your fingers, the smell of ink and wood filling her nostrils. A civilized society would either kill her or give her actual books, but this society decided to be somewhere in the middle. 

Anyone else would have said that Annabeth's current predicament wasn't all that bad compared to what it could be. She doesn't have any _real_ like her fellow demigods, so while the security on her cell is certainly high (near unbreakable) it wasn't anything uncomfortable. She was allowed _(allowed)_ to draw and read what books she asked for as long as they were permitted by the Warden. From what little else she knew about the others imprisoned at Olympus, she basically lived in luxury.

But that was the thing about children of Athena, however much she hated the association with her godly parent. Athena's spawn had no problem living in discomfort, the bare minimum to survive even, but cutting them off from the rest of the world? Forcing them to rely on others for information, limiting what they can learn? Being a prisoner, insulting their very person (their very _pride)_? That was worse than any kind of torture could possibly be. Torture at least stimulated the mind, forced it to compartmentalize and process the pain. This nothing, these barren, _horrible_ walls of nothing got to her more effectively than any torture could.

It almost made her want to seriously talk to the shrink, Dr. Solace. While he wasn't on her level of intellect (who was she kidding-- no one was) but he was definitely better than anyone else in this prison. When he wasn't gently probing at her darkest feelings and trying to get her to respond, he often just rambled about things that were happening in the world. Unfiltered, full of passion and obviously well read, it was the only time Dr. Solace seemed to be comfortable around Annabeth. While she rarely put in her own opinions on whatever matter he decided to discuss, it was certainly more intellectually broadening than anything else she had going on.

Of course, in the end, she had no one else to blame but herself for ending up in this horrible prison. She had remained virtually undetected for _years,_ hiding in plain sight, defying the gods each and every day without them ever realizing it. Getting back at the divine bastards that thought themselves superior compared to the disposable waste that was humanity, doing what Luke _should_ have done in the first place.

Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut, immediately regretting thinking about Luke. She slowly counted to ten, packing any thoughts about her once friend into tiny containers and sending them to the far corners of her mind. It was a helpful trick that she's made good use of over the years, a way for her to keep her perfect composure from shattering. She couldn't let anyone see her be weak (couldn't _allow_ them), especially not Dr. Solace and the guards that regularly rotated shifts around her cell. They weren't supposed to be there during her session with the doctor, but she could still feel them, judging and ready to pounce the moment she blinked in the wrong direction. They might accidently kill her in the struggle, but no one would particularly care. No one would mourn. Talon would be just another villain in the footnote of history. 

_No,_ Annabeth told herself, grinding her teeth together as fortified door to her area opened, signaling the start of another session with Dr. Solace. _I will get out of here. The gods will pay for every single unanswered crime, every abandoned child, every time they've ignored humanity during its darkest moments. I will make sure of it._

When Dr. Solace entered, he looked even more nervous than usual. His fingers tapped rapidly against the file in his hands, one Annabeth doesn't recall seeing before. It was surprisingly thick and sturdy, filled with dozens of papers and notes than she couldn't see from the outside, but knew were there. The good doctor loved his notes, but even this seemed a little ridiculous. It wasn't her file, no, she knew the exact creases and approximate weight of that, having studied it so many times. This was something different, and whatever it was, it was effecting Dr. Solace greatly.

"Hi Annabeth," the doctor started, which was odd. Usually he asked her how she was feeling that day, if she needed anything or a random fact he read and thought she would find interesting. Annabeth narrowed her piercing grey eyes at him, wondering if there was some kind of trick woven into whatever he was doing. It wasn't in his nature to purposely trick people, she knew, but that didn't meant he wasn't forced into doing this.

He didn't wait for her reply: another first. "Today is not going to be a normal session. I, uh, actually from now on none of our sessions will be 'normal...'" he trailed off, rubbing the file in his hands. "In fact, everything around here is about to become much different. Not in a bad way-- I promise that, but... just different."

Annabeth still said nothing. For once, Dr. Solace seemed relieved about that.

"From now on, you and six others will be apart of a new program, one that I will be supervising. It will be a version of group therapy, a way for you guys to interact with one another. Now, this will be a great stretch of privilege's... "

Dr. Solace's voice faded from her ears, and a low ringing sound filled Annabeth's head. _Group therapy? What the hell is he talking about?_

There were so many questions she had, who these other six demigods were, why he suddenly decided to switch the 'treatment' she had been on for so long, what would be done so that they could talk to one another. But another, weaker question also passed through her mind: _is this how I get out? Individually they can contain us, separated from outside intelligence and communication, but together? This could mean..._

It could mean a lot of things. It could be a trap, a way to test her. It could be a genuine attempt from Dr. Solace to help her and her fellow demigods, whatever _help_ meant. _It could mean freedom and revenge._

Annabeth stared at the doctor, small pieces of what could end up being a useless plan coming together. She found that she didn't mind the possibility of failure, the possibility that this group therapy, these other demigods, might not work out in her favor. Her mother was the goddess of battle strategy; plans fell apart and came together all the time on the battlefield. What mattered was how you adapted.

_I can adapt, alright,_ Annabeth thought, _and that's why I_ will _win._

_Soon, the gods will know the wrath of a thousand Titans, and that's when they'll wish that I had never killed Luke._


	3. File 113.3: Siren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! Those of you with eagle eyes will notice that Piper doesn't have a relationship tag like everyone else, but it's not because I don't like her! I've always been a bigger fan of Liper and Valgrace rather than Jasper, and I just wanted to do Valgrace in this fic. She still holds a special place in my heart, though :)
> 
> My Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexthemagicaldevil
> 
> Art Sources: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/tamaytka/144735584025  
> Piper Art: https://64.media.tumblr.com/4b0a4ee36090dd765c9e37cb8a99b75b/tumblr_o7k9sc1P6F1tipfd6o6_1280.jpg

_File: 113.3_

_Villain Alias: Siren_

_Real Name: Piper McLean_

_Date of Birth: June 3rd_

_Age: 23_

_Place of Birth: Oklahoma_

_Status: Demigod (Geek) (Unclaimed)*_

_Race: Cherokee_

_Eye/Hair Color: Multi/Brown_

_Height: 5'8_

_Other Notable Features: A few scars, nothing too_ _noticeable_

_Family: Tristan McLean (Father)**, Unknown (Mother), Thomas McLean (Grandfather) (Deceased)_

_Childhood: Born to the famous Tristan McLean, from a young age Piper was caught stealing multiple times, which gradually grew worse as she got older. She was mostly raised by her fathers assistants, which likely fueled her stealing habits.*** She never made it to Camp Half Blood._

_Abilities_ _: Charmspeak (controlling others with her voice), supernatural beauty, fluent in French, moderate fighting skills._

_Crimes: Stealing on a local, state, federal, and global scale, multiple accounts of manslaughter, international terrorism._

_Current Imprisonment: Olympus Penitentiary for Demigods_

_Assigned Personnel: Doctor William Solace_

_Threat Level: 10/10****_

*** While officially Piper is unclaimed by her godly parent, it is quite obvious that Aphrodite is her mother. Her powerful charmspeak probably protected her from many unknown monsters throughout her childhood, though it is hard to say because no one in her immediate everyday life knew or told her she was a demigod until she was 16, quite an impressive age seeing as most demigods who don't get any training or find one of the camps have an astronomically low chance of surviving past 12. It is likely she will never be claimed by Aphrodite, as most gods tend to distance themselves from the deeds of their more villainous children.**

**** Mr. McLean claims that he never knew that Piper was a demigod, only that her mother left them both after she was born. It seems that he is extremely susceptible to the Mist, even more so than the average mortal. Piper only found out she was a demigod after a group of earthborn kidnapped her Mr. McLean and she saved him using her charmspeak-- which she didn't even realize she had. From several different police reports throughout the years of Piper being caught stealing, there are many of times where she claims that she didn't steal anything. In fact, she just asked for something, and it was given to her. It wasn't until hours later that the 'theft' was then reported, and Piper arrested. Note to self-- how was saving her father not considered heroic enough to be claimed, especially since children of Aphrodite have the highest rate of claiming compared to other demigods?**

***** There is some evidence that many of these assistance's were in fact monsters, and that Piper was abused by them. Mr. McLean was rarely around during Piper's childhood because of acting, so she would have been left at their mercy from a young age. Funnily enough, there are a few instances where these assistances suddenly disappeared, though they were never reported, likely because of the Mist. Piper's stealing got worse and worse with each new assistant-- a way to gain the attention of her father? Note to self-- did Piper known that many of these assistance's were monsters? If not, is this evidence for her killing tendencies accruing much sooner than previously believed?**

****** Keep her contained and away from other inmates, make sure that she is unable to talk and use her charmspeak at all times. (Note-- this can be overridden if she is wearing a Mute, a device that is able to detect the distinct vibrations charmspeak creates and can immediately incapacitate her if she uses it). Restrain her thoroughly if someone needs to go into her area, and make sure that someone on the outside is always watching. Heterosexual females and homosexual males are preferred guards, as they are much less likely to be attracted and manipulated by her looks and charmspeak if either the standard mouth clamp or the Mute malfunction. Be extremely cautious around her at all times, and if at any point you feel unsafe, leave the area immediately.**

From the beginning Will Solace knew that Siren would be the most difficult of the Seven to accommodate for. 

Yes the others have their issues-- manipulating metal, turning into infinitely small animals, controlling the very mechanics around them-- but Siren was slightly more complicated, even before Will decided to try out his group therapy idea. How was a villain who's main power came from her voice supposed to communicate without everyone else having the constant fear of becoming puppets to her every whim? Of course, when she was only interacting with the guards and Will, this problem was much easier to get around. The cell she was in could become sound proof from the outside with a push of a button, and since it was required for someone else to be watching her at all times, it was simple to contain and deal with any problems that came up.

Then there was the Mute-- a frankly brilliant device created by a child of Vulcan (it was Vulcan, right?) that is able to detect the vibrations unique to charmspeak and instantly administer a sedative to take out the user. This made one on one interactions, mainly between himself and Piper, much easier to conduct. Before the Mute, she would have to communicate using a piece of paper and a pencil, which could take a surprisingly long time to do considering that Piper instinctively wrote in either Ancient Greek like most Greek demigods tend to do, or French like many children of Aphrodite are naturally proficient in. Of course, there was a pretty good chance that Piper was just messing with him, but there were times when she seemed genuinely frustrated in her inability to communicate effectively. 

Now, don't get Will wrong. He definitely felt sympathy for Piper's situation, and there were plenty of times before the Mute that he considered asking if she could take off the mouth clamp preventing her from talking for just one of their sessions. Everything was safe, right? If anything went wrong, it would be easy to fix. 

But then he remembered Dr. Oliver, who had been in charge of Piper's care before Will. Unlike many of his other patients, someone had opted to take her in without much fuss. Will could still here Dr. Oliver's voice as he explained his reasoning, how children of Aphrodite, while viscous, were easy patients to care for. He would ask for Piper's mouth clamp to be removed fairly often, if Will's memory served his correctly.

Two weeks later, Dr. Oliver killed three guards and a fellow doctor before slicing his own throat open with a piece of glass. 

It was Piper. No one could dispute that-- especially not later when video footage was found of her using charmspeak to get Dr. Oliver to do things. No one wanted to take her as a patient after that, and like every other time, Will was the one who finally said yes. He shouldn't have. He didn't even have Chiron as an excuse this time. All he could think about after he saw that video footage was how Piper had every chance to escape, every chance to tell Dr. Oliver to let her go. Instead, she waited until he was so under her control that he would commit a brutal murder suicide without hesitation.

So, whenever he felt that sympathy bubble up in his chest, he thought about Dr. Oliver. It was quite the effective reminder.

After she was given the Mute, communication became much easier. For short periods of time he and Piper would talk to one another, and never once has the Mute had to sedate her because she used charmspeak. He was still cautious as hell whenever he entered her area-- he would be a fool not to be-- but it was in those moments that he was fairly glad that he was constantly being watched by a guard when he was in her room. They were supposed to give the doctors privacy during their sessions with inmates, and usually Will was all about having less eyes on him and his patients, but he found himself going the opposite direction when he was with Piper. 

Maybe that wasn't fair to her. After all, Piper was one of the few that would actually talk about her childhood (though there were still subjects she refused acknowledge, her dad and the assistances who raised her being the prime example) and some part of her did seem to feel remorse for the things she's done.

_(But then she would get that look in her eye: a type of_ _satisfaction and pride in the people she's killed, the people that she convinced to do horrible things with nothing but her words. The suicides, the murders, the destruction._

_Dr. Oliver)._

Anyway, the point was, there were a lot of things Will had to keep in mind when it came to these group therapy sessions, and most of them had to deal with Piper. He had to make sure that the Mute was functioning at all times, that there were safety measures put into place so that she couldn't control the others and himself if something were to go wrong, keep track of the guards that would constantly be watching them-- there was a lot. And Piper herself seemed a little bit put off by the idea of group therapy, though, to be fair, pretty much all of the Seven were (well, there was one exception to that). When Will first mentioned it to Piper, she had squirmed a little bit, like she was uncomfortable.

_(Dr. Oliver, Dr. Oliver, Dr. Oliver-)_

"Are you sure that's a good idea, given that, you know, a lot of us are considered terrorists and whatnot?" Piper had asked, her voice slightly rough from how little she got to use it. Will had to make sure he didn't look at her eyes too hard, or else he would become distracted by the different shades of color that constantly changed from moment to moment. He was very much into guys and only guys-- the ring on his left hand was proof of that-- but even he couldn't deny that Piper was gorgeous. Most children of Aphrodite were, but there was something slightly different about Piper. Maybe it was how she did everything in her power to make herself less noticeable, the uneven cut of her hair, the casual hold of her body that spoke nothing of the unwavering arrogance that Will saw in most children of Aphrodite. 

Or maybe, just maybe, it was how her voice was charming even without the use of charmspeak. There were a few reports that claimed Piper McLean was able to convince people to do things for her without ever enchanting them, and while Will wasn't sure of the truth behind those reports, he could definitely understand why many believed it. 

"We'll just have to wait and see," Will had replied, hoping his uncertainty wasn't too obvious. At the time he had hoped that he would feel better about it the closer they came to the actual date of the first group session-- but in hindsight, he knows he was just trying to be optimistic. Now, sitting in this large room that the guards and engineers had spent weeks to prepare for his Seven, he feels his nerves twitching with each breath he takes. 

_What if I should have separated the Romans and the Greeks? Those two groups don't usually get along very well-- or what about the different rivalries that their parents have? We didn't miss anything, right? All precautions taken, everything functioning as intended--?_

Will was so distracted by his thoughts that he startled greatly when a voice came over the loudspeaker, nearly falling out of his chair.

_"You alright in there Dr. Solace?"_ asked the guard. _"They're about to bring the first one in."_

Will composed himself, taking a deep breath. He could do this. Nothing would go wrong. It couldn't.

"Go ahead," Will replied with the fake confidence he hoped to eventually gain. "Lets begin."

* * *

Piper McLean is sure she's never seen a group that was quite literally as colorful as the one she was in right now.

She had to strain to see everyone properly, even if they were all placed in a circle that should theoretically make seeing everyone easy. The various cages they were placed in, most much more complicated than her own simple bulletproof box wrapped in thick glass, obscured her vision slightly as they were rolled in one by one. To her right was a girl that was already there when she was brought into the giant, nearly empty room. The girl's grey eyes watched her every move with a striking sense of purpose, though Piper had no idea what that purpose was. Her cage was similar to Piper's, though she notably didn't have the sound proof casing that seemed to follow Piper everywhere these days. Instead, her arms were strapped tightly to her chest, showing that while the guards here feared Piper for her voice, they feared this girl for her actions. 

Piper felt a twinge of empathy for her, knowing exactly what it feels like to be uncomfortably restrained. Either she was used to this treatment or she was much better at hiding her discomfort than Piper, because she didn't even attempt to move around. Piper would have smiled at her, let the girl know that she wasn't alone, but she still had the damned mouth clamp on. The forced clenching of her jaw made in near impossible to do anything with the lower half of her face, so instead, she looked to the other two people in the room, both next to the other girl.

The first guy was in a cage like they were, though his had some kind of machine attached to the outside. What it did, Piper had no unearthly idea, but... was that a bottle of _lotion_ in his hands? Whatever it was, he was gently tossing in the air before catching it over and over again. He barely glanced at his two companions, his windswept dark hair ever so slightly covering his eyes. If Piper had seen him on the street, she would have immediately labeled him as one of those bad boy types and steered clear-- but then again, that would make Piper in the biggest hypocrite to ever walk the earth.

Actually-- see took that back. That honor belonged to her dear sweet mother.

Next to the bottle thrower was the only person _not_ stuck in a cage, Dr. Solace. Piper instantly noticed that he wasn't wearing his silver ring, something he seemed slightly nervous about. He kept rubbing the spot where it was supposed to be with his other hand, a tick he was prone to even with the ring on. Piper might not be the most intellectual person out there, but she was good at reading body language. Great, even. Right now she could tell that Dr. Solace was really unsure of himself, even as he plastered on a smile.

Piper sighed to herself, the movement constrained by the mouth clamp. No one was talking, the silence echoing in the large room. That problems was almost immediately solved when the guards rolled in the next cage, which contained what Piper could only describe as the world's weirdest air conditioner and a guy that was rambling at a mile per minute. He was saying something about the mechanics behind his weird air conditioner-- though Piper barely understood a word and the guards looked as though they couldn't care less. When the cage was eventually put into place and the guards left, the guy inside abruptly stopped his talking, looking straight at Piper. 

If there was one way to describe this guy, the only thing that was coming to Piper's mind was _Latino_ _elf._ She felt bad for thinking that, but with his curly hair and mischievous and skinny features, it felt like the only appropriate thing to call him. He also found her attractive, Piper could tell, but not in the way that most males did. He found her attractive more like... the way Dr. Solace did.

Before Piper could attempt to figure out what that meant, he was off talking again, this time to her. 

_"Hello_ Beauty Queen," he said with a quirked smile. "Lovely to meet you, especially since we already have so much in common! You know, being in prison and all. I'm Leo Valdez, but _you_ can call me--"

"Leo," Dr. Solace said gently by firmly. "I thought we talked about this."

Leo pouted at that, and if Piper had the ability to, she knew she would be uncontrollably smiling in that moment. While Piper was used to men attempting to flirt with her and call her beautiful in a variety of ways (most which ended with their own brains splattered against the wall through her encouragement), but this guy, Leo, didn't feel like he was patronizing her. It felt more like good natured teasing, the way he interacted with most people around him. If Piper could only get this damn mouth clamp off and reply, then she would tease him right back. This was already more interaction with another person besides Dr. Solace that she's had in (months, years, decades?) a while, and she found herself craving it more than she realized.

Leo let out a long, dramatic sigh, and Piper found herself slightly startled when she could actually _see_ his breath. It must have been freezing in that cage if it was cold enough to do that, but Leo seemed completely unbothered in his grey jumpsuit, nearly identical to the one Piper was wearing herself.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I get it," Leo mumbled, fiddling with his hands as if he was going through the motions of putting something back together. Piper found herself disappointed when he stayed quiet after that, and the room went into silence until the next cage was brought in. 

The cage, which was slightly foggy for whatever reason, was placed next to Leo. The boy inside, who Piper could barely see, didn't make a sound as he was rattled around rather harshly. The only definite feature she could make out were his eyes, an electric blue color that almost _glowed._ It made her shiver and tear her eyes away, instead deciding to gage everyone else's reactions. Leo looked like he wanted to say something but restrained himself, and girl next to Piper was giving glowy eyes the same intense treatment she gave her (and, assumingly, Leo) and the boy with the bottle still hadn't looked up. Dr. Solace _definitely_ looked nervous now, but still, he persistently smiled.

Soon enough, there was another one. This cage was surprisingly small compared to everyone else's, which made Piper even more confused when she realized just how _big_ the guy inside was. His shoulders hunched over, knees above his hips, neck at a slightly awkward angle as his eyes darted around in anxiety. "Hi Dr. Solace," he said politely, very unsure about himself the entire time. He even _thanked_ the guards once they began to leave, which Piper didn't understand in the least.

_Just how many of us are in this 'group therapy' think anyway?_ Piper wondered to herself, taking note of how all of the cages and Dr. Solace formed a perfect circle.

Well. An _almost_ perfect circle. There was still a gap right next to the doctor, just big enough to fit one more cage.

_Oh well, shouldn't bee too long before they show up as well,_ Piper thought, turning her head to look at the entrance to the room so she could watch the last demigod enter. When over five minutes had passed with nothing, she turned back. There had to be another, right? Why else would there be a gap next to Dr. Solace?

"Are we going to start or what?" asked the boy with the bottle, finally looking up from his constant motion of throw and catch. "This situation can only get so awkward before I projectile vomit and sitting here in silence isn't helping."

Piper was inclined to agree, but like before, couldn't voice this. She wished the fucking Mute would activate already so that she could speak like a normal person.

"We're still waiting for one more member," Dr. Solace replied, staring intensely at the door. "She always takes a little big longer to move around than the others. Don't worry, she'll be here shortly." 

Dr. Solace's prediction became true after another minute, when the last and final cage was rolled into the room with a loud _CLANG!_ It was huge: thick mirrors that greatly distorted the light, some kind of plastic shield covering it entirely, and small girl a few years younger than Piper herself trapped in the middle. Her eyes, which were an eerie amber that reminded Piper of a mosquito she once saw trapped in a jar of the same color, were pinpointed at her feet. No amount of movement from the outside, even as everyone else in the circle strained to she her, could grab those eyes attention. Sound seemed to be the only thing she reacted to, though Piper couldn't understand why. 

Soon, the last of the guards left. Then, it was just seven caged demigods and a mortal doctor in a giant room.

Dr. Solace cleared his throat.

"Hello, everyone," he said, "and welcome to the first group therapy session in Olympus Penitentiary history."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a comment.
> 
> ~Magical_Devil_Alex


End file.
